Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Upington Cost of Living Comparison Between Tbilisi and Upington

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,218 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,000 in Upington, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,853 per month in Tbilisi vs $1,593 in Upington, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Tbilisi vs $2,187 in Upington, rent included.

Tbilisi costs about 22% more than Upington, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Tbilisi and Upington are more affordable than the global median – Tbilisi 9% lower, Upington 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.85 ₾28.75

$11.25 R 182

-3.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.17 ₾117

$34.00 R 550

29.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.28 ₾21.94

$4.78 R 77.2

73.22%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₾8.00

$1.64 R 26.45

84.15%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 ₾2.02

$1.00 R 16.10

-24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ₾1.22

$0.70 R 11.35

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ₾5.93

$1.56 R 25.18

43.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 ₾7.95

$2.53 R 40.96

18.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ₾5.11

$0.85 R 13.81

127.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 ₾1.91

$1.10 R 17.83

-34.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ₾4.87

$1.57 R 25.46

17.20%

Eggs

$2.45 ₾6.48

$2.46 R 39.79

-0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.43 ₾19.67

$7.76 R 125

-4.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.48 ₾17.16

$4.58 R 74.1

41.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 ₾25.70

$6.81 R 110

42.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 ₾3.18

$1.62 R 26.14

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ₾4.14

$1.46 R 23.55

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ₾4.75

$1.55 R 25.05

15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 ₾5.90

$1.64 R 26.47

35.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ₾1.73

$1.32 R 21.37

-50.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₾1.79

$1.19 R 19.20

-42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 ₾3.16

$1.05 R 16.99

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₾1.86

$0.95 R 15.41

-26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 ₾7.82

$2.56 R 41.38

15.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.33 ₾19.41

$3.69 R 59.7

98.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 ₾4.02

$1.37 R 22.16

10.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ₾5.95

$1.65 R 26.65

36.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ₾0.95

$1.63 R 26.37

-77.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.60 ₾38.68

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ₾3.97

$1.11 R 17.87

35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 ₾1.92

$0.90 R 14.58

-18.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.45 ₾19.74

$4.14 R 66.9

79.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ₾3.01

$1.25 R 20.18

-8.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.5K ₾49.0K

$21.4K R 345.4K

-13.34%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.3K ₾53.6K

$23.5K R 379.5K

-13.71%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$73.9 ₾196

$119 R 1,929

-38.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.71 ₾31.01

$35.51 R 574

-67.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.16 ₾48.09

$42.30 R 684

-57.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ₾163

$30.45 R 492

102.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.66 ₾44.12

Cinema Ticket

$6.61 ₾17.50

$6.85 R 111

-3.50%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$264 ₾700

$196 R 3,161

35.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,145 ₾13.6K

$4,300 R 69.5K

19.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.9 ₾198

$49.68 R 803

50.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.98 ₾117

$31.64 R 512

39.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 ₾312

$88.2 R 1,425

33.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 ₾301

$78.7 R 1,273

44.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$692 ₾1,833

$364 R 5,883

90.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 ₾1,203

$332 R 5,374

36.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 ₾3,504

$570 R 9,218

132.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$789 ₾2,089

$700 R 11.3K

12.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,431 ₾6,440

$929 R 15.0K

161.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 ₾3,818

$696 R 11.3K

107.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$645 ₾1,709

$802 R 13.0K

-19.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.89

11.38

4.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Tbilisi: June 9, 2026

Last update for Upington: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $692 in Tbilisi versus $364 in Upington. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 24% higher in Upington, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi versus $34.00 in Upington. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $173 – making Upington the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tbilisi vs Upington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Tbilisi, $1,000 in Upington – roughly 22% apart. Tbilisi costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Tbilisi and $1,500 in Upington. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Upington, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Tbilisi and $34.00 in Upington. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Tbilisi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Upington, where all-in costs run around $1,000, than in Tbilisi at $1,218. In Upington it covers expenses comfortably, while in Tbilisi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Tbilisi has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,000 in Upington to $1,218 in Tbilisi. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Upington. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Tbilisi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.